12 Popular Baby Sleep Site Posts From 2012

If you do find yourself with a little extra time this week, why not indulge in some light reading? Today, we’re bringing you a collection of some of 2012’s most popular Baby Sleep Site™ blog articles (in no particular order).

Consider it our Christmas gift to you!

12 Very Popular Posts From 2012

Breastfeeding moms, you’ve probably heard this one before: “If you just switch to formula, your baby will sleep better.” But is there any truth to this? Do formula-fed babies really sleep better than breastfed babies? And can adding or switching to formula really be the key to solving your baby’s sleep issues? We tackle those questions (and more) in this blog article.

No sleep regression is easy — we’ve had enough sleep consultations with exhausted parents to know that for sure! But the 18 month regression can be a doozie: combine your toddler’s increased mobility and language skills with his very strong will, and you have one tough sleep regression on your hands. Be sure to check out this posts for insights into why the 18 month regression is so challenging, as well as tips on how to survive it.

Today, more and more parents are choosing to share a room with their babies, instead of using a separate nursery. There are plenty of benefits to room-sharing, but are there some drawbacks, too? And, most importantly — how does sharing a room with your baby affect her sleep? This post answers these questions and more.

We love stay-at-home parents here at the Baby Sleep Site™; in fact, a few of us wear that title proudly! But through our work with parents, we’ve learned that some of the things which make staying at home so nice (flexibility in schedule, for example) can also be bad for baby sleep. Read on to find out more (and to see if you agree!)

Weaning your baby from the breast brings difficulties of its own, but let’s not forget that weaning can wreak havoc on your baby’s naptime and nighttime sleep. Check out this post for information about how weaning affects sleep, as well as tips on how to help your baby sleep well during the weaning process.

Sleep associations and hunger are two common reasons for a baby’s nighttime waking. But what if things aren’t so straightforward? What else could be causing your baby’s insomnia? Take a look at this blog article for 6 other reasons your baby could be waking frequently at night.

This proved to be a very popular post! Nicole wrote this post in response to an episode of Supernanny in which Jo tries to help a family transition their co-sleeping toddler from their bed to his own. Let’s just say that Jo’s method felt a bit extreme to us, and isn’t something we’d recommend to families who use our services. Read through the post for more details!

Naps are a hot topic around the Baby Sleep Site™. But how many does your baby or toddler really need? And what can you do to make sure your little one gets the naps he needs? Check out this article for the “nap numbers” and tips on how to help your baby or toddler nap well.

Pacifiers can be a parent’s best friend — or worst enemy. If the pacifier’s causing more problems for your baby than it’s solving, or if it’s high time your toddler said goodbye to the binky, you won’t want to miss this article! In it, we offer tips on how and when to help your little one kiss the pacifier goodbye.

This post is a true gem. In it, we examine how expectations and norms related to baby and toddler sleep vary around the world. From maternity leaves to bed-sharing, we tackle the major cultural differences we’ve uncovered in working with parents from across the globe. This post is so enlightening — and be sure to check out the comments! We had a number of international moms chime in and offer their own perspectives and experiences.

Nothing gets parents more impassioned than the topic of crying it out! In this article, we examine some of the pros and cons of crying it out, as well as things parents should consider before using this method of sleep training. As you’d expect, the comments were mixed on this one — some commenters were full-blown CIO supporters, while others were totally opposed to any kind of CIO method. If you feel strongly about crying it out, or if it’s a sleep training method you’re considering, be sure to take a look at this post!

In this article, Nicole outlines the differences between the methods of perhaps the two most famous “names” in baby sleep — Dr. Ferber and Dr. Weissbluth. She also offers tips on how to know whether Ferber or Weissbluth (or maybe neither neither) is best for your baby. If you’ve read any Ferber or Wesissbluth before, you’ll want to read through this post and see if you agree with Nicole’s observations.

An Honorable Mention

This guest post by Angela Braden isn’t one of our usual Baby Sleep Site posts, but it proved popular with our readers, so we’re giving it a special mention. In it, Angela shares her secret formula for determining your baby’s ideal “wake time.” Use her formula to stay ahead of overtiredness and to help your baby sleep longer and better. If you’re struggling with your baby’s sleep, this is one you’ll definitely want to read!

Don’t see your favorite blog post on the list? Let us know which of our 2012 articles you liked best!